So the man who was watching TV didn't want the player to be transferred to the Pirates? Was the man a Pirates fan? A fan of another baseball team? Someone financially involved in the Pirates team? Someone who has bet on the outcome of the Pirates season?

So the man who was watching TV didn't want the player to be transferred to the Pirates?incorrect Was the man a Pirates fan?yes A fan of another baseball team? Someone financially involved in the Pirates team? Someone who has bet on the outcome of the Pirates season?no to rest

The man did want the player to be transferred to the Pirates? So does that mean that the puzzle statement refers to something separate from the trade? Or some unfavorable aspect of the trade? E.g. his salary? The player he was being traded for?

The man did want the player to be transferred to the Pirates?irr So does that mean that the puzzle statement refers to something separate from the trade?yesish Or some unfavorable aspect of the trade? E.g. his salary? The player he was being traded for?no to rest

In the statement "good for him but not for us" - does "him" refer to the player? "Us" to the Pirates fans? correct

this is an unusual set of circumstances that doesn't occur too often in baseball. Figuring out exactly what player involved isn't crucial to solving this puzzle unless you know of the instance that i'm referring to, in which case i would ask you to not %poil. There are some fundamental things about the game of baseball itself you would probably need to know to figure out this puzzle. IMO it's a good puzzle and lateral thinking is needed to solve.

So whatever happened that's good for Jack, is it also good for the team? Certain members of the team? Is the good event simply that he was credited with the win? Some result of this credit? The circumstance that caused him to be credited? Something that happened in the same game?

If it is good for the whole team, then is it not good for fans because it means that a game will be away instead of home? Something in the rules will change? They will be unable to watch an upcoming game? A game will be postponed? Less enjoyable to watch?

So whatever happened that's good for Jack, is it also good for the team?no possibly FA lurking Certain members of the team?no Is the good event simply that he was credited with the win?yes Some result of this credit? The circumstance that caused him to be credited?this is relevantSomething that happened in the same game?yesish FA lurking possibly

If it is good for the whole team, then is it not good for fans because it means that a game will be away instead of home?no Something in the rules will change?no They will be unable to watch an upcoming game?no A game will be postponed?no but... Less enjoyable to watch?no

A game won't happen because of the win? For example, they win a series in fewer than the maximum number of games, so they don't play the rest of the games? And so fans holding tickets to those games don't get to go?

They have to play a different (and harder) team in playoffs than they would have if they had lost the game?

Does his win occur while playing for the Pirates? Or while playing for the team he was traded from? Does the win occur before or after he was traded?

The vacation was excellent -- I went to China with my family. Turns out that my being a tall blonde teenage girl is kind of exciting for Chinese people :-)

Is the credit good for Jack because it helps his stats? Increases his trading value? Is it actually good for him? Or does Joe just think it is? Does the team actually win? Or is he just credited with the win? Is he playing for the Pirates when he receives the credit? Are they playing against the team he was traded from? Is this his first game with the Pirates? Has the trade somehow not been registered yet? So the other team wins but Jack somehow still gets the credit?

A game won't happen because of the win? For example, they win a series in fewer than the maximum number of games, so they don't play the rest of the games? And so fans holding tickets to those games don't get to go?no to all

They have to play a different (and harder) team in playoffs than they would have if they had lost the game?no

Does his win occur while playing for the Pirates?yes beware FA Or while playing for the team he was traded from?no with a small ish Does the win occur before or after he was traded?after, pretty close to wrapping this one up

The vacation was excellent -- I went to China with my family. Turns out that my being a tall blonde teenage girl is kind of exciting for Chinese people :-) awesome, sounds like you had fun! welcome back!

Is the credit good for Jack because it helps his stats?yes, the credit is a win Increases his trading value?no Is it actually good for him?good for his stats Or does Joe just think it is? Does the team actually win?what team? Or is he just credited with the win?yes Is he playing for the Pirates when he receives the credit?yes Are they playing against the team he was traded from? Is this his first game with the Pirates? Has the trade somehow not been registered yet?no to these So the other team wins but Jack somehow still gets the credit?thats a hard one to answer, Jack does get the win, define "other team" I think theres a FA lurking.

you guys are getting really close but there is one or two major things to still figure out

Okay, I guess maybe I should clarify my questions. When Joe says "good for him but not for us," he's responding to a news story about how Jack was credited with a win in a certain game, correct? And in that game, Jack was pitching for the Pirates? And the Pirates won? Was this a regular season game? Playoffs? World series? Grudge match? Scrimmage? Assuming it's not a scrimmage, let's say that the Pirates are playing the Cardinals. Any reason why this wouldn't have worked if the Pirates had been playing the Cardinals? Now, did the Cardinals score more runs than the Pirates? Did the Pirates score more runs than the Cardinals? Did the game finish in 9 of innings? More? Less (because of a storm, etc.)? As a result of this game, are the Pirates closer to winning the pennant? Are the Cardinals?

Okay, I guess maybe I should clarify my questions. When Joe says "good for him but not for us," he's responding to a news story about how Jack was credited with a win in a certain game, correct?correct And in that game, Jack was pitching for the Pirates?NO! And the Pirates won?irr Was this a regular season game? thisPlayoffs? World series? Grudge match? Scrimmage? Assuming it's not a scrimmage, let's say that the Pirates are playing the Cardinals. Any reason why this wouldn't have worked if the Pirates had been playing the Cardinals? Now, did the Cardinals score more runs than the Pirates? Did the Pirates score more runs than the Cardinals?irr. to all Did the game finish in 9 of innings? More?this Less (because of a stormexactly this, etc.)? As a result of this game, are the Pirates closer to winning the pennant? Are the Cardinals?no the these, but you are OTRT for the most part and very close to solving this one

Was the game played part way, but delayed due to a storm? And the second half of the game happened a long time after the first half? Weeks later? Months later? Was Jack the starting pitcher for the first half? But in between the two halves, he was traded to the Pirates? And the team he was playing for ended up winning? So Jack got credited with the win even though he didn't play for that team anymore?

Was the game played part way, but delayed due to a storm?yes And the second half of the game happened a long time after the first half?yes Weeks later?this Months later? Was Jack the starting pitcher for the first half? But in between the two halves, he was traded to the Pirates? And the team he was playing for ended up winning? So Jack got credited with the win even though he didn't play for that team anymore?you got it!!!

**************SPOILER*******************

The pitchers name is Joel Hanrahan. He was playing a game (for the Washington Nationals) on May 5th and it got postponed until June 30th due to rain. Before the game resumed he was traded to the pirates. The nationals ended up winning the game giving him the win. It's actually a pretty interesting story. You can read it in full at: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4318608

Thanks everyone, especially Noel and Ohlala8, for joining in on my first puzzle!!! What did you think of it? Hope to have another one soon!